Method of producing oxid or oxids of manganese



' UNITED s'r'rEs PATENT oFncE.

BENJAMIN I. tovELAcn,

METHOD OF PRODUCING x1 No Drawing. Application filed April 24,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. Lovn- LACE, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Baltimore, Maryland, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Producing Oxid or Oxids of Manganese, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the production of oxids of manganese, more especially a mixture of oxids which is capable of easil liberating a portion of its oxygen, and whic consists principally of manganese vdioxid with varying percentages of the lower oxid or oxids of manganese.

It is the object of this invention to pro duce an oxid or mixture of oxids which by reason of its physical and chemical characteristics is especially adapted for use in preparing the mixtures of oxids, known as hopcalite, having extremely desirable catalytic properties; which catalysts are described in tlfe application of Frazer et al. Serial No. 275,007, filed Feb. 4, 1919. The oxids of manganese prepared by my process are inan extremely, finely divided state, are substantially completely hydrated, show a high degree of catalytic activity, and can be very cheaply produced.

In carrying out the present invention, 1 provide a-process wherein manganese is elec trolytically oxidized to form the desired oxids of manganese' More specifically I electrolyze a solution of suitable salts in a single compartment cell with an anode containing manganese. In the prior processes wherein a solution such as of alkali hydroxids or carbonates were used as electrolytes with an anode containing manganese, the object has been to produce permanganates. In' cells of such a character a diaphragm is used to separate the anolyte from the catholyte in order to prevent the subsequent reduction at the cathode of permanganate formed at the anode. -By my process I, eliminate the diaphragm, using a single compartment cell and thus the permanganate formed at the anode is allowed to move freely to the cathode where the permanganate is practically quantitatively reduced to the hydrated oxids contemplated by this invention. Some oxids are produced at the anode by the partial oxidation of the manganese of the anode;

Various electrolytes such as various soluble salts as the carbonates and bicarbonates of Specification of Letters Patent.

oxids of manganese;

scribed, but I claim OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

n on oxrns or MANGANESE.

1919. Serial No. 292,390.

the alkali metals or ammonium may be used but I have found that a solution of the ordinary commercial ammonium carbonate, which usually contains some bicarbonate and carbamate, gives the best results. The anode may be ordinary ferromanganese or other manganese containing alloys such as are described and claimed in my patents, numbers,

1,291,680, 1,291,681, 1,291,682, dated Jan. 14,

Patented Sept. 7,1920.

1919, or other manganese containing alloys,

and as cathode I prefer to use iron. I have found that by using a temperature below 35 (1., very satisfactory results are obtained. Better results are obtained at lower temperatures such as12C., or lower, but the use of such temperatures may be commercially infeasible on account of the cost of refri eration. I also employ a current density of 0.10

to 0.15 amper'es per square centimeter using preferably an anode consisting of ordinary commercial ferromanganese. The conditions under which the electrolysis takes -place such as temperature, concentration of electrolyte, composition of the anode, current density, etc., may satisfactory yields of hydrated oxids.

As the electrolysisproceeds, using for ex ample, a saturatedor-very nearly saturated solution of commerclal ammonium carbonate with a manganese containing anode, themanganese goes into solution with the formation of ammonium permanganate at the anode and with some deposition of hydrated the permanganate goes to the cathode where it is reduced to form the bulk of the hydrated oxids of manganese. An analysis shows that the oxids formed 0011133111 variable amounts of hydrated'oxids of iron due to the iron in'the anode, The available oxygen inthe mixed oxids is somewhat less than that corresponding to manganese dioxid. The product thusobtained is very finely divided and when filtered, washed and mixed withcertain other oxids such as those of silver, copper and cobalt gives amaterial which has very marked catalytic properties.-

In place of the ammonium carbonate I may use carbonates or bicarbonates of other alkali metals such as sodium, potassium or lithium with satisfactory results but the best results are obtained when ammonium compounds arused, and I use'the term alkali metal to includeammonium. I do not intend to limit myself to the specific salt' dethe process of electrobe varied within wide limits with lyzing a soluble compound with a man-.

ganese contalning anode, broadly, except as limited by the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A process of producing an oxid or oxids of manganese comprismg electrolyzmg with an anodecontammg manganese in a singlecompartment cell asolution of-an ammonium salt containing the CO radical. 2. A process of producing an oxid or oxids of manganese comprislng electrolyzing with a manganese. containing anode in a single compartment cell a solution 'of ammonium carbonate.

3. A process of producing anoxid or oxids of manganese comprising'electrolyzing with a manganese containing anode at a temperature below 35 C. a solution which shows an alkaline reaction toward litmus.

4. A process of producing an oxid or oxids of manganese comprislng electrolyzing with a manganese containing anode in a single compartment cell at a temperature below 35 C. a solution which shows an alkaline reaction toward litmus.

ing with. a manganese containing anode in' a single compartment cell at a temperature below 35 C. a solution CO radical. 3

7. A process of producing an oxid or oxids of manganese comprising electrolyzing with'a manganese containing anode in a single compartment cell at a temperature below 35 a solution of ammonium car bonate.

' BENJAMIN F. LOVELACE.

solution of a of a salt having the 

